Antifriction bearing for bicycle pedals, etc



i sept.- 16 1924. 1,508,438

H. w. EATCHELLER ANTIFRICTION BEARING FOR BICYCLE' PEDALS, ETC

Filed June 22.1923

' interposed between Patented Sept. l5, 19245.

Curran sraras PATENT-orifice.

HUGH W. BATCHELLRR, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AsSIGNoR or CNR-HALF ToH. r. FARRRLL, or WORCESTER, i/LASSACHUSRTTS.` f

ANTIFRIC'IION BEARING FOR BICYCLE PEDALS, ETC.

Application filed June 22, 1923. -Serial No. 646,997.

Antifriction Bearings for Bicycle` Pedals, Etc., of which the followingis a specification.

This application is a-,continuation in part of my application forLetters Patent for antifriction bearings for bicycle pedals, etc., filedJune 13, 1922, Serial No. 567,999.

The invention relates to an antifriction bearing 4whichincludes acylindrical member or shaft, such as a crank pin or armiof a bicyclecrank, a tubular member enclosing said shaft, and two' circular seriesof balls said members, and Slightly spacing the same apart.

One object of the invention is to provide a self-contained antifrictionbearing involving a Vrelatively small number of parts, adapted to beconveniently assembled and securely maintained in assembled relation.

A particular Objectis yto enable the tu bular member to be coupled toand maintained. in a .predetermined adjustment on the Shaft by one ofthe said series of balls, So that the tubular member is confined by saidballs against endwise movement in either direction on the shaft.

L I vattain these and other objects 'which will 'hereinafter appear, bythe improved construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilication,-

Figure 1 shows partly in section, and partly in side elevation, a.bearing embodying the invention, and by dotted lines, a pedal structuresecured to the tubular member.

Figure 2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the keeper hereinafter described.

Figure 4c is a'fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a viewv similar to a portion of Figurel, showing analternative form of ball-confining means.

is a view similar to portions of endwise movement of the Figure 6 is asection on line 646 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 7-7 of Figure 2. l i

Figure 8 shows insection amodified construction of the tubes.

' The same reference characters One element of my improvedself-contained bearing is a cylindrical Shaft 12, which may be the,wrist-pin' of a bicycle crank 13, its 'inner end being attached to thecrank by any suitable means. The shaft has a peripheral groove 14,adjacent to its outer end, the minimum diameter of the groove, or thediameter'of its bottombeingless than the diameter of the shaft.`

A circularl series of inner balls 16 contacts with 'the periphery of theshaft. A cirindicate `the samel parts in all the figures.

cular series ofouter balls 17 contacts with the recessed surface formedby the groove 14:. Because of the smaller diameter of the groovedportion than the portion with which .fthe innerrballs conta-ct, theperimeter of the outer series of balls has a 'diameter' lessl than thatof the inner series, as may 'be seen by comparing Figures 6 and 7 v, theballs of each series being preferably of ithe same size, and the numberof balls 17 being less than that of the `balls 16. The smaller size ofthe circular series of outer` balls 17 en# n ables said balls tocooperate ywith the retainer hereinafter described, in coupling a tubeor hub 18, forming an element of the bearing, to the shaft 12, in Suchmanner as to adjust or locate the tube in` aipredetermined position onthe shaft and prevent tube in either direction on the shaft.

The tube 18 in this instance, is a hub with which the usual rubber footpieces orblocks 19 of a bicycle pedal-are connected. The tubeis-provided at its innerend with an inner cup 20, having ashoulder-'forming face 21, contacting with one side of the series ofinner balls 16, and a curb portion 23, having an internal face 22,contacting the outer balls are not 'in coupling engagement with the.,groove 14, the inner balls may slip or roll lengthwise of the shaft,sufficiently to permit a longitudinal adjustment of the tube on theshaft. Any suitable means may be'provided for confining the inner balls16 in the cup 22, to prevent them from escaping from the cup. Said meansmay be embodied, for example, in an inwardly turned annular lip or stop24, sur rounding the mouth of thecup, as shown by Figures 1 and 2, andformed after the insertion of the balls in the cup.

A. shoulder 25 formed on an enlargement 26`of' the shaft, may beutilized for the saine purpose, as shown by Figure yEhe tube isprovidedlat its outer end with an outer cup 27, having a shoulder-'formingface28`` contacting with the inner side of the series of outer balls 17,and a curb portion 29, corresponding in form, but not in funetion, Withthe curb portion 23 of the inner ld() represents an annular keeper,having a shonl'derforming face 31, contacting with theouter side ofy theseries of outer balls 17, and a flange 32, having an inner face 33,contacting with the perimeter of the series of `outer balls. rlhe keeperfrange 32 is formed to have a close driving tit in the curb 29 of theouter cup, and is driven in under heavy pressure, so that it is securelyfixed to the cup.

'The parts may be assembled as next described.

The shaft- 12 is inserted in the tube 18 andtheballs 17 are then droppedinto the cup 27, the shaft and tube being held in upright positionv withthe cup 2O at the upper lend of the-tube. The balls 16 are thenconfinedA in the cup 20, either by forming the stop lip 24 on the cup,as shown by Figure 2, orv by causing the balls to rest on theshoulder25, as shown by Figure 5. rlhe shaft and tube are then inverted to theposition shown by `Figure 2, the tube being adjusted on the shaft tolocate its shoulder fac-e 28 in line With one edge of the groove 111.The-outer balls 17 are then dropped into the outer `cup and are free tomove therein toward the groove. Finally the keeper 30 is forced into andfixed to the outer cup, this operation causing the keeper to force theinner portions of the balls 17 into the groove, as shown by Figure 4i.This operation couples the tube to the shaft, sor that lthe tube issecurely confined against endwisemovement on the shaft. rlhe bearingthus completed is self-contained and may be utilized for variouspurposes, its members being securely interengaged, so that no externalmeans is required to maintain the bearing in its operative condition.

/Vhen the bearing is employed in a pedal, endplates 34C, having bosses35, may be engaged with the tube cups, by forcing the recense bossesunder; heavy pressure on to the cups. rihe end plates support rods 36,on which the pedalbloeks 19 are mounted.

llt will le seen that the parts of the bearings are interconnected andmaintained in their operative relation to each other Without the aid ofthe parts ofy the pedal.

rihe face 28 of the outer cup and the faces 31 and 33 of the keeper arearranged to Contact at threepoints With the outer balls 17. Each of saidballs has a fourth contact with the surface of the groove 14. Provisionis therefore made for permitting the outer balls to run with the minimumof frictional resistance, While preventing end- Wise movement of thetube in either direc tion on the shaft.

Figure 8.- shows a modification in Which the tube and its cups 2Oand121, arev made in separate parts, including a tube 18a, Which may Abethinner and of greater internal diameter than the tube 18, and sleeves2Oa and 21, formed on the cups, the sleeves being' forced into andrigidly secured in the portions of the tube 18a.

The cup 2O at the inner end of the tube is to be mounted on t-heshoulder 25 of the pin 12, in the manner shown at the lower end ofFigure 5.l rilhe cup 21. at the outer end of the tube is to receive thekeeper 30, in the manner shown at the upper end of Figure 5. Thismodification diifers from the previously described construction, only inthat the cups and the body of the tube are made in separate parts,instead of a single part.

l claim:

1. A self-contained antifriction bearing comprising a cylindrical shafthaving a peripheral groove adjacent to its outer end, the minimumdiameter of the groove being less than the diameter of the shaft; acircular series of inner balls contacting with the periphery of theshaft; a smaller circular series of outer balls contacting with thegroove; a tube loosely surrounding the shaft andprovided at its innerend With an inner cup, having a shoulder-forming face contacting withone side of the series of inner balls, and an internal face contactingWith the perimeter of said series, to mailitain the inner balls in loosecontact with the periphery oi' the shaft; means for conlining the ballsin the inner cup; the tube being provided at its outer end With an outercup having `a shoulder-forming face `contacting with one side of theseries of outer balls;l anda keeper iiXed in the outer cup and having ashoulder-forming face contacting with the opposite side of theseries ofouter balls, and an internalface contacting with the perimeter of saidseries, to maintain the outer balls in coupling engagement With saidgroove, and )thereby lll() prevent endwise movement of the tube in saidouter cup and keeper beingl formed to either direction on the shaft, thearrange- Contact at three points with the said outer ment being suchthat the tube is locked balls, each ball having a. fourth Contact 10against endwise movement by the operation with the surface of thegroove. 5 of securing the keeper to the outer cup. In testimony whereofI have affixed my 2. A self-contained antifrotion bearing signature.substantially as speeiiied by claim 1, the HUGH W. BATCHELLER.

